Top 10 largest fairs in India to explore Introduction
Festivals and fairs exist over India, with most of them taking place at sacred places or marking the passage of time. Thousands of people attend most of the fairs hosted at pilgrimage sites. From Bihar to Assam, each Indian state has its festivals and fairs. The Sonepur Mela, which takes place in Bihar, is one of the most well-known cow fairs. Locals and visitors alike enjoy Indian celebrations. Indian fairs include Pushkar Fair, Baneshwar Fair, Gangasagar Fair, Tarnetar Mela, Chaitra Chaudash Mela, Nagaur Pair, etc. Here we list the Top 10 Indian fairs you must visit:
Top 10 Fairs in India: A Cultural Expedition You Can’t Miss
- Kumbh Mela
- Sonepur Mela – Bihar
- Pushkar Fair
- Hemis Gompa Fair – Ladakh
- Kolayat Fair – Rajasthan
- Gangasagar Mela – West Bengal
- Chandrabhaga Mela – Odisha
- Gangaur Fair
- Ambubachi Fair – Assam
- Maha Shivaratri fair – Maharashtra
Exploring India’s Largest Fairs: Where Tradition Meets Celebration
| Fair/Festival | Location | Description |
| Kumbh Mela | Allahabad, Haridwar, Ujjain, Nashik | The largest Hindu pilgrimage, where millions of devotees bathe in holy rivers to cleanse their sins. |
| Sonepur Mela | Bihar | One of the largest cattle fairs in Asia, known for its animal trading, including elephants, horses, and more. |
| Pushkar Fair | Rajasthan | A vibrant camel and livestock fair, also featuring cultural performances and religious rituals. |
| Hemis Gompa Fair | Ladakh | A religious festival at Hemis Monastery, celebrated with traditional dance performances and rituals. |
| Kolayat Fair | Rajasthan | A religious and cultural fair held at Kolayat Lake, famous for its rituals and camel rides. |
| Gangasagar Mela | West Bengal | A pilgrimage to the Sagar Island, where devotees take a holy dip at the confluence of the Ganges and the Bay of Bengal. |
| Chandrabhaga Mela | Odisha | A significant religious fair near the Chandrabhaga River, with rituals and cultural performances. |
| Gangaur Fair | Rajasthan | A festival celebrating the goddess Gauri, with elaborate processions, rituals, and cultural events. |
| Ambubachi Fair | Assam | A festival dedicated to the goddess Kamakhya, associated with fertility and agricultural rituals. |
| Maha Shivaratri Fair | Maharashtra | A night-long celebration dedicated to Lord Shiva, featuring fasting, prayers, and religious chants. |
1. Kumbh Mela
The world’s largest religious gathering, the Kumbh Mela, occurs every 12 years on the banks of the Ganges River at Allahabad in Uttar Pradesh. The festival is held to observe Lord Shiva, and it draws millions of Hindu pilgrims during its course. It is believed that during an ancient war between gods and demons, a few drops of Amrit fell in four places in India — Ujjain, Nasik, Haridwar, and Allahabad. Every 12 years, when Jupiter enters into an astrological sign called Aquarius, the this-worldly gathering takes place.
The Kumbh Mela is held every third year in one of four alternated venues. Haridwar on the Ganges, Ujjain on the Shipra, Nasik on the Godavari, and Prayag (Allahabad), where the Ganges, Jamuna, and the fabled Sarasvati all converge, are the four places.
2. Sonepur Mela – Bihar
It is one of the biggest cow fairs in India. The fair is held at Sonepur town in Bihar, and it is among 13 such fairs in the state. Each year, more than two million people gather to sell and buy cows, bulls, and calves at this fair. In November, on Kartik Poornima (the full moon day), this ceremony takes place in Sonepur, Bihar, where the Ganges and Gandak rivers meet.
It is recognized as one of the world’s largest animal fairs. This incredible Asian cattle fair can last anywhere from a week to a month. At the Harihar Kshetra Mela, buffaloes, horses, dogs, birds, elephants, camels, cows, lambs, bunnies, and guinea pigs are traded for a month. Emperor Chandragupta Maurya’s procurement of elephants and horses is at the root of the legend.
3. Pushkar Fair
The Pushkar Fair is held at Pushkar in Rajasthan and is among the world’s largest camel fairs. Some travelers say that the camel fairs in the country are unrivaled. The city of Pushkar at the banks of Lake Pushkar was founded around 5,000 years ago by the Kachchhapagans and has been a pilgrimage site for centuries. Oddly enough, animals and their progeny were never allowed to be transported anymore than five miles from the supreme deity’s temple in Pushkar, where religious pilgrims have flocked since ancient times to see sacred water buffalo, camels, parakeets, kangaroos, and other animals come down to drink.
4. Hemis Gompa Fair – Ladakh
This fair celebrates the birth anniversary of Padmasambhava, the teacher of Buddhism. Gokul Dham, Hemis Monastery, and Nyingma Institute for Higher Education run the event every November-December. More than a dozen animal fairs in Ladakh attract tens of thousands of people over a month-long period.
There is no “single” fair or festival held in Ladakh; there are numerous events like fairs and festivals which show areas where people live peacefully with reverence to religion, race, culture, and custom. The largest fair is the Hemis Gompa Fair, organized by Hemis School and Nyingma Institute for Higher Education at Hemis Gompa every year during the winter months from Nov to Dec, lasting for about a month.
5. Kolayat Fair – Rajasthan
Hindus gather in Kolayat, Rajasthan, on the occasion of Gokul Ekadashi. Hindus believe their ancestors’ ashes are believed to be present here. The fair is held every year at a temple near Kolayat town. The people of Kolayat in modern-day Rajasthan assemble here on the occasion of Gokul Ekadashi, which falls on December 16 or 17 every year. During this period, they offered worship to their ancestors and paid homage to Lord Shiva. But the celebration is not restricted only to Hindus but also to Muslims who visit his shrine.
6. Gangasagar Mela – West Bengal
The Gangasagar Mela is celebrated every year at Sagar Island in West Bengal. The festival takes place at the confluence of the Bay of Bengal to mark the passing of another year. According to an ancient legend, Lord Vishnu used to take a bath in this confluence every year on the day of Makar Sankranti. He would come from his abode “Vaikuntha” (in modern-day Uttarakhand) with his wife, goddess Lakshmi, ride a Garuda vahana and descend on Sagar Island. Pilgrims gather here during Makar Sankranti to take a dip at this point and pray for prosperity.
7. Chandrabhaga Mela – Odisha
Chandrabhaga Mela is a Hindu pilgrimage fair in the eastern Indian state of Odisha at Bhubaneswar. The fair is held on the banks of Chandrabhaga River every year in September when thousands gather to bathe in its holy waters. The river, which originates from the Chilika Lagoon and eventually meets the Bay of Bengal near Puri town, has religious significance in Hinduism. It is believed that several gods bathed here after their victory over demons. The event is celebrated with music and dance.
8. Gangaur Fair
It takes place in Rajasthan. Mirroring the ruggedness of the land, the Gangaur festival is celebrated with great enthusiasm by women. It has a lot of relevance to traditional values. The festival is held in honor of Gauri or Parvati, the consort of Lord Shiva. In line with India’s rich cultural traditions, it is also a celebration that marks the coming of spring. Women dress in their best colors, wear jewellery, and dance for many days and nights.
The celebrations include folk songs and dances depicting stories from Hindu mythology about different stages of Gauri’s life – how she got married to Shiva, how she eloped with him on his bull Nandi (or), how she was coronated as queen after her marriage etc.
9. Ambubachi Fair – Assam
It is held every year around October in the city of Kokrajhar, a town in the north-eastern Indian state of Assam. It is one of the most essential and largest carnivals in India. The fair was first held during the British Raj, and it later became a proud part of India’s cultural tradition.
When the Brahmaputra River is raging, the event takes place in the Assamese month of Ahaar in June. This is a festival honoring goddess Kamakhya’s annual menstrual cycle. Devotees come from all across the country to attend this festival. The Pandits singing mantras on behalf of the devotees and the devotees performing pooja make the fair a must-see.
10. Maha Shivaratri fair – Maharashtra
Once a month, the Maha Shivratri festival is celebrated in the state of Maharashtra, India. It is an important Hindu festival celebrated on the 12th night of the lunar fortnight (Masi) in the Hindu month of Phalguna. The celebration lasts for three days and three nights. The festival has been held in March or April every year since ancient times, but it was not until 150 years ago that it became a formal event.
The festival begins with a prayer by thousands of devotees at a temple dedicated to Lord Shiva. The festival ends with the people taking a holy dip in the Godavari river. The next day, aarti (a devotional ceremony) is performed at sunrise.
Conclusion
A fair in India is a joyous celebration and an excellent opportunity to have fun with family and friends. The occasion is usually marked by great joy, love, and euphoria by the people in that region. The popularity of fairs in India has grown because India is a multicultural country where people from different cultures and social backgrounds live in harmony.
In other words, Indians believe that “togetherness” is an essential key to success and prosperity. This sentiment makes it easier for them to get together at different places like fairs, exhibitions, festivals, etc., to celebrate certain occasions like Diwali, Holi, Eid festival, etc.
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